How respecting cultural heritage validates immigrant students | Gonzalo Salazar

How can we ensure immigrant students feel valued and respected in schools? By creating space for their native cultures.

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When Gonzalo Salazar was 6 years old, his family moved from Mexico to the United States. Not allowed to speak his native Spanish at school and scolded for speaking English at home, he found himself living a double life, an "academic tourist in the borderlands of culture." As of 2016, 26% of the U.S. student population was made up of immigrant students like Gonzalo. In this talk, he details the importance of creating space for native cultures and the impact it has on student identity.

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[USA_]

Thanks for doing a TedEd talk. I am truly grateful for having a country that unites it's citizens with one great language that many people around the world can speak in order to communicate across our big country. I believe we can respect the heritage of our families while also using the national language of English. Thanks! 👍😊🇺🇲❤️

[shawnt.loeschered.d.]

So much to learn from here. Thank you for your sharing your story and revealing ways that we can better connect with our students.

[yolandanoyola]

Wonderful job Dr. Salazar of expressing the value of our culture ! Heartfelt, touching and inspiring all in one TALK!

[AdrianAichLF]

Dr. Salazar, I remember you were my elementary teacher, I remember you being a key speaker at my college at TSTC during my graduation. What a great honor you are still in our District. Thank you for your service.

[letipereira]

Awesome ❤, thanks for sharing from your heart and for leaving footprints of faith and courage where you lead. God continue to bless you.

[USA_]

We should be proud our country has a strong national language that helps unite millions of people from around the world into citizens able to read, write and communicate across the nation with others from different backgrounds. What makes us American is E Pluribus Unum "Out of Many One". Thanks ❤️🇺🇲❤️🇺🇲

[liveunitedrgv]

Dr. Gonzalo Salazar is a rockstar. This video is a much watch.

[tungnguyenthanh]

Your talk should really reach out to more people out there; it's truly miraculous. Although I am a Vietnamese amateur educator, the cultural struggles that you shared really resonate with my country's, prompting me to think about what should be done next to ensure a better place for the future generations.

Once again, thank you Sir.